Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 2010 — Ka hopena 2010: A time for reflection and Thanksgiving [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ka hopena 2010: A time for reflection and Thanksgiving

Eōenā 'ōiwi 'ōlino nā pulapula a Haloa, mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau puni ke ao mālamalama. Aloha e nā kūpuna kahiko,

nāna e ho'oulu mai nei, iā kākou e holo pono, a loa'a e ka lei lanakila. E hana kākou me ke ahonui, pili me ka hā a ke aloha, 'oiai e kūlia i ka nu'u, a kau i ka 'iu o luna. Ka'i mai e nā hoa kui lima lei 'ia i ka pua lehua, akaka wale ho'i ka mana'o i ka 'ā o ke ahi awakea. Welowelo e ka hae Hawai'i i hō'ailona wehi no nā kini

ke Akua pū me kākou i pono ke ea o ka 'āina. As we turn the page of the first deeade of the new millennium, elosing 2010, we are poised for the ehallenges and opportunities shaping the seeond decade. I hope readers of the Chairperson's message in the November 2010 Ka Wai Ola found the 10-year summary of our progressive activity to be both informative as well as a measure of how far we, OHA and the Native Hawaiian community have eome. Indeed, there are many miles to go before we sleep. Writing the eolumn as Chairperson of the OHA Board, highlighting crucial issues of the past decade, reminded me of the many hands that have supported and assisted my work at OHA since 1996 and more specifically since the year 2000, when I assumed my kuleana as Chairperson. Before we leave this decade, and begin the holiday season, the makahiki season and the season of Thanksgiving, it is in the spirit of gratitude and mahalo, I wish to thank Aulani, my 'ohana, present and past, along with those working hands that believed and were motivated by the inspiration of Kawaiho'ouluoha'ao and the vision of Nā Lei Lōkahi. We linked arms, focused minds and nurtured solidarity, stretching from our Nu'uanu garage and across Hawai'i nei, achieving our objective, making a difference not onee, not twice but four-fold.

Lydia, Reynold, Kehau, Miehelle and Martha, mahalo for helping to support the work of your fledgling Trustee. Martha, Scotty and Patricia, mahalo for

patiently strengthening and fine-tuning the work of your maturing Trustee, elevating the standards of preparation, performance and delivery. To Kealamapuana, the wise woman dedicated to serving and empowering Native Hawaiians for five decades, mahalo piha for your steady and insightful counsel,

extraordinary. Reynold, Louise and Malia, your attention to detail, professionalism and productivity have set high standards for this decade; standards that should achieve greater heights going forward, mahalo pū. In approaching the end of the 2010 decade, I am humbled and honored by the distinction of being the longest-serving Chairperson of the OHA Board of Trustees in OHA's 30-year history. My tenure as Chairperson spans nine years and nearly eight months. I celebrate our community, our Hawaiian beneficiaries as well as non-Hawaiians who continue to support OHA's efforts, along with all the OHA staff, from Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Directors, Managers, statewide community workers, support staff and volunteers, present and past, who have eaeh day dedicated and focused their energies to advance our mission to serve Native Hawaiians. On behalf of the OHA Board of Trustees, mahalo a nui. May we all continue to work hard to support and elevate the success of Native Hawaiians charting genuine self-determination in this coming decade and embracing all Native Hawaiians wherever they reside. Let us always remember that what is good for Native Hawaiians is and always will be good for Hawai'i nei. Have a joyful Thanksgiving, peaeeful makahiki and a blessed holiday season . A hui hou aku kākou . 24/48 ■

LEO 'ELELE V www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org TRUSTEE MESSSAGES ' NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS l FEATURES I EVENTS

Haunani Apnlinna, MSW Chairpersūn, Trustee, At-large